ICPC drags another El-Rufai’s aide to court for alleged corruption
The charged bordered on corruption and money laundering.
The case with charge number FCH/KD/16c/2025 was filed by Dr. Osuobeni Ekpi Akponimishingha, on behalf of ICPC on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Lawal, who served as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to the former governor, is being charged alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and a company, Solar Life Nigeria Limited.
The ICPC alleged in the suit that sometime in 2018, Lawal “indirectly took control of the sum of N10 million from the Kaduna State Accountant General Operational Account 0211139802 via Guaranty Trust Bank Automated System (GAPS) and paid it into the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.
The ICPC further alleged that Lawal ought to have known that the funds were part of the proceeds of corruption, and the action was an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count two, the ICPC alleged that Lawal indirectly took control of N47.84 million from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance through GTB Account 0130133086 in July 2018.
Additionally, the ICPC alleged that in September 2018, while serving as a public officer in Kaduna state as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to el-Rufai, Lawal also took control of N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue Account.
It stated that the funds, which were domiciled in United Bank for Africa (UBA) Account 10200067882, were later transferred to Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, which he was the sole signatory.
The ICPC stated in the suit that Lawal ought to have known that the funds were proceeds of an unlawful act of corruption, which contravenes Section 18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In another count, the ICPC alleged that in October 2024, Jimi Lawal made false statements to Messrs. Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson Daniel during their investigative duties.
According to the ICPC, Lawal allegedly told the investigators that the total sum of N64,800,562, received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the Guaranty Trust Bank Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, was paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko as estacodes.
The ICPC asserted that Lawal knew the statement was false and, in doing so, committed an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.